The ancestors of the bearers of the Bottingghan family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-SaxonEngland. They were first found in either of the places called Bodenham, in Herefordshire and Wiltshire, or in the settlement of Bodham, in Norfolk. The place-names are derived from the Old English personal nameBota, which experts theorize is derived from the Old German boto, from the Germanic root bud, which means to announce, and the Old English word ham which means homestead or settlement. Thus, the surname signifies a person who lived at or near Bota's settlement.

Early Origins of the Bottingghan family

The surname Bottingghan was first found in Herefordshire at Bodenham, a parish, and anciently a market-town, in the union of Leominster, hundred of Broxash [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print. situated on a bend in the River Lugg, about seven miles south of Leominster. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was first listed as Bodeham [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) and literally meant "homestead or river-bend of land or a man called Boda," from the Old English personal name + "hamm." [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) Hugh de Bodenham, Lord of Bodenham, grandfather of Roger who lived in the reign of Henry III is the ancestor of the family. [4]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.

Early History of the Bottingghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bottingghan research.Another 457 words (33 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1206, 1273, 1296, 1461, 1525, 1401, 1403, 1409, 1559 and 1610 are included under the topic Early Bottingghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bottingghan Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bottingghan include Bedingham, Beddingham, Bedinham, Bodingham, Bedyngham, Bedyngeham and many more.

Migration of the Bottingghan family to the New World and Oceana

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bottingghan or a variant listed above: a number of settlers who arrived by the 19th century.